Table 1.
Characteristics of the included studies (n=10)
| Intervention Group | Control Group | Topical Anesthetic | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study, Year, Country | N (Male Number) | Age Range (mean) | Health States of Participants | Setting | Needling Procedure | Type of Social Robots | Interactive Duration | Whether Combined with CBT | Specific Process | / | Pain Outcomes Reported | Measurement Time | Affective Outcomes | |
| Beran et al, 2013, [19] Canada | 57 (30) | 4-9 (7) | 23 children were under medical condition34 children were healthy | Outpatient clinic | Flu vaccination | Humanoid: NAO | During the procedure | Yes | Introduction, chatting, blowing technique, encouragment | Minimal typical distraction | / | Self reported pain, observed pain (FPS-R) | The strongest moment during procedure | Behavioral measure of distress (BAADS) |
| Jibb et al,2018, [31] Canada | 40 (24) | 4-9 (6) | Children with cancer | Outpatient clinic | Port needle insertion | Humanoid: NAO (renamed MEDiPORT) | During the procedure | Yes | Introduction, making supportive statements, deep breathing techniques, encouragement | High-tech distraction | Mandatory | Self reported pain (FPS-R) | Post procedure | Behavioral measure of distress (BAADS) |
| Trost et al,2020, [14] USA | 21 | 4-14 (10) | Children who needed to receive MRI | Radiology suite | IV placement | Humanoid: MAKI (renamed IVEY) | During the procedure | Yes | Robot assisted the child life specialist: provide emotional support based on the child's expressed level, practice deep breathing | The usual distraction provided by child life | / | Self reported pain, Behavioral measure of pain (Wong-Baker FACES scale, FLACC, CHEOPS) | Before interaction, prior to IV placement, post procedure | Self reported fear (CFS) |
| Kasimoglu et al, 2020, [34] Turkey | 200 (98) | 4-10 (7) | Children who needed to receive MRI | Dental clinic | Dental treatment | Humanoid: iRobiQ | During the procedure | Only distraction | Singing, displaying animation, performing body movements with facial expressions | Usual distraction | Permitted but not mandatory (100/200) | / | / | Self reported anxiety (FIS) |
| Kasimoglu et al, 2023, [33] Turkey | 102(50) | 4-10 (7) | Children who needed pulpotomy | Dental clinic | Dental treatment | Humanoid: NAO | During the procedure | Only distraction | Performing targeted motor tasks to distract | Nonverbal communication, distraction, positive encouragement, voice control, and tell-show-do | Mandatory | / | / | Self reported anxiety (FIS) |
| Ali et al, 2021, [21] Canada | 86 (47) | 6-11 (9) | Children who had some acute diseases | Emergency department | IV placement | Humanoid: NAO | During the procedure | Yes | Introduction, chatting, deep breathing exercise, encouragement, dancing and Tai Chi | Normal comforting techniques | Permitted but not mandatory (78/86) | Self reported pain (FPS-R) | Before procedure, during procedure | Behavioral measure of distress (OSBD-R) |
| Smakman et al,2021, [32] Netherlands | 137 | 4-12 (8) | Not mentioned | Blood drawring policlinic | Blood draw | Humanoid: NAO | During the procedure | Only distraction | Robots have three different programs based on ages to distract children1) Lower classes aged 4-6: introduction, singing, dancing and encouragement 2) Middle classes aged 6-9: introduction, Taichi, playing saxophone, telling jokes, dancing and encouraging 3) Higher classes aged 9-12: introduction, telling jokes, playing saxophone, dancing and encouraging | Normal distraction techniques | / | Behavioral measure of pain (FLACC) | Before procedure, during procedure, post procedure | Self reported anxiety (VAS-A) |
| Lee-Krueger et al, 2021, [20] Canada | 103 (57) | 4-12 (8) | Children with a systematic disease | Surgery Short Stay Unit | IV placement | Humanoid: NAO (renamed MEDI) | Before the procedure | Yes | Greeting, teaching deep breath, encouraging | Other forms of pain management strategies | Mandatory | Self reported pain, Observed pain (FPS-R) | During proceduere | Self reported fear (CFS) |
| Rheel et al, 2022, [29] Belgium | 22 (10) | 8-12 (9) | Children with chronic disease | Outpatient clinic | IV placement/Port needle insertion | Humanoid: NAO | During the procedure | Only distraction | Playing quiz games, encouraging | Minimal typical distraction | Permitted but not mandatory (13/22) | Self reported pain (FPS-R) | Before procedure, post procedure | Self reported fear (CFS) |
| Chang Ching-Yi, 2023, [30] Taipei, China | 47 (23) | 5-12 (7) | Children with mild disease | Inpatient clinic | IV placement | Humanoid (not to mention type) | During the procedure and lasting for 40 minutes | Yes | Social robot using digital storytelling | Video-based storytelling | / | / | / | Behavioral measure of anxiety (mYPAS) |
FPS-R Faces Pain Scale-Revised, FLACC Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability Scale, CHEOPS The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Scale, BAADS Behavioral Approach-Avoidance Scale, CFS Children’s Fear Scale, FIS Face Image Scale, OSBDR Observed Scale of Behavioral Distress-Revised, VAS-A Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety, mYPAS modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale